Beyond pardon (2)

It all happened so quickly that before I knew what was happening, we were on the bed, tangled together…

Obviously, Timi seduced me. But at my age, shouldn’t I have had enough self-control to resist, you might wonder. But what grown, hot-blooded man could see a naked woman, with the kind of assets Timi had, and resist? Even a monk would have fallen to such temptation!

Anyway, that’s how Timi and I became lovers. Initially, I just saw the affair as a fling, and Timi as someone to keep me company on lonely nights as my wife was so far away. I loved my wife and family and I didn’t want to do anything to hurt them. But I had reckoned without my errant heart. Before long, I had fallen madly in love with Timi.

I spent most of my free time with her and I didn’t like her being away from me for long. Because of her, my visits to Lagos to see my wife and family reduced drastically and whenever she complained, I would tell her it was due to pressure of work.

At the end of her service year, Timi wanted to return to Lagos where her parents lived to look for work. But I was against the idea as that would mean our being separated. The thought of her going so far away from me filled me with dread. My life would be completely empty without her.

“I will get a job for you here, in Port-Harcourt,” I told her.

I was true to my words. Shortly after, I spoke to the branch manager of a bank in the city who was a tennis partner of mine at the club. Within a month, Timi had been offered a job at the bank.

By this time, she had left the corpers’ quarters she had been living in and moved in with me.

“What if your wife comes to visit you unannounced?” she asked, a few days after she moved into my house.

“We will cross that bridge when we get there,” I stated, holding her close in my arms and kissing her. My wife had only visited me twice in the four years I had been living in the city and she had informed me well in advance on both occasions.

Living with Timi was wonderful. She was quite caring and always concerned about my welfare. As for me, I loved her to bits and could not imagine life without her. I had no idea what the future held. I was just happy to spend my days and nights with her, to love and be loved by her.

I was careful though, to keep the affair with Timi from my wife. Once in a few months, I would travel to Lagos and see her and the children and act the role of a good family man. But most times, I couldn’t wait to return to my sweet Timi, to hold her close to me.

Things went on this way for about a year. Then a day came when things came to a head. It was a Saturday afternoon. There was no work so we were both at home. I was watching a football match on TV while Timi was in the kitchen, helping Johnson prepare lunch.

“Lunch will soon be ready, honey,” Timi said, coming into the living room and sitting on my lap. She planted a kiss on my lips but at that instance, I was more interested in the action on the TV screen than in her caresses.

“You and football,” she grumbled as she got up to return to the kitchen.

Just then, the doorbell rang.

“I’ll get it!” Timi said, making for the door.

I could hear her speaking with someone at the door, then she came back in and announced:

“Honey, there’s a woman at the door asking for you.”

I got up to see who was at the door. Standing there, a sour look on her face was my wife!

The showdown

The sight of my wife at the door, arriving so unexpectedly without warning, so shocked me, that I just stood there, gaping at her. Then I came to myself and said:

“Mary, what are you doing here?”

She brushed me aside and came into the room, dropping her traveling bag on the floor.

“What kind of question is that? Is that the way to welcome your wife who has travelled all the way from Lagos to see you?” she demanded crossly, surveying the living room as if looking for something.

“I’m sorry, but you gave me quite a surprise. You should have told me you were coming. I would have sent the driver to pick you at the airport,” I stated.

“Do I need permission before coming to see my own husband?” she asked, going to sit on the couch.

“I know, but…” I started to say when Timi came into the room.

“Honey, lunch is ready. Should I serve it now?” she asked, coming to stand by me and holding

my hand.

Seeing Mary, she said:

“Welcome, ma.” Then she asked me with some curiosity: “Is she your sister?”

Mary stood up.

“What’s going on here? Daddy Michael, who is this girl?” she asked.

“Em…This is Timi…” I said.

“And I’m his girlfriend,” Timi quickly added.

“What?” she exclaimed. “So, all the rumours I’ve been hearing are true. That you’ve been living with a girl in this house. How could you?” she shouted angrily at me.

“Mary, calm down. Let me explain,” I said.

“You say I should calm down? Is that all you can say? Anyway, this nonsense must end today! Little girl,” she addressed Timi, “I’m giving you ten minutes to pack your things and get out of this house. If you are still here at the end of that time, I won’t be responsible for my actions!”

“And who are you to order me around in my man’s house?” Timi demanded, in an equally angry tone.

“You still don’t get it? Well, let me tell you since you are so thick-headed. I’m his wife and this is my home. So, get the hell out!” she screamed at her.

“What?” Timi exclaimed, looking anxiously at me…

* * * *

“Look, Mary. Try to understand the situation. What happened was not planned. One thing led to the other and before I knew it, I was in really deep,” I stated. We were in my bedroom later that night. We had spent the past few hours or so arguing over Timi and what I should do about her. I had refused to allow her leave the house after Mary’s order to her to pack out. “She has no where to go. Give me sometime to make alternative arrangements for her,” I had told her earlier.

“What situation do you want me to understand? That the moment my back was turned, you went and brought in a girl into my home. A girl that’s about the same age as Kate, our first daughter? Francis, you should be ashamed of yourself!”

“I’ve said I’m sorry. Besides, you are partly to blame too for the situation,” I pointed out.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” she asked, glaring at me.

“Well, if you had moved here with me, this wouldn’t have happened. It’s not easy for a man of my age to live alone,” I stated quietly.

“So, you are now putting the blame on me. Instead of accepting your mistakes and cleaning up the mess you’ve created, you are looking for a scapegoat for your misdeeds. You are really pathetic!” she stated.

“It’s late so stop shouting. Do you want the neighbours to hear?” I told her.

“Let them hear! I don’t care. At least they will know the kind of man you are; one who can’t control that thing in his trousers!”

“Mary!” I cautioned her, glaring at her.

She glared back before resuming the quarrel.

I laid on the bed, silent, listening with half an ear to what she was saying, how my wandering eyes will put me in trouble one of these days, that did I not think of the children and the many years of marriage we had had before jumping into bed with any thing in skirts?

Timi was in the guest room and I wondered whether she was asleep. She had been unwilling to move from my bedroom and I had had to plead with her, assuring her that she would be back once my wife was gone.

Two days later, Mary returned to Lagos. Before leaving, she had given me an ultimatum:

“The next time I come, somebody will..

•To be continued

What was the ultimatum that Mary gave her husband? Find out next week!

•Names have been changed to protect the narrator’s identity. Send comments/suggestions to [email protected] or 08023201831.